SAMBALPUR: In a bid to increase tourist footfall in Debrigarh Sanctuary and educate visitors about the nearby places of historical significance, the Hirakud Wildlife Division has ventured into spiritual tourism. In a first, the division has launched two new tourism packages which include visit to Nrusinghnath and Kedarnath temples in Bargarh district.
The Kedarnath temple at Ambabhona block is an 11th century shrine located at the foothills of Barapahada which is widely known as the fort of freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai. An architectural marvel of Chauhan dynasty, the temple sits in the middle of a lake along the Mahanadi river.
Similarly, Nrusinghnath temple is a 15th century shrine located at the foothills of Gandhamardhan hills. The scenic waterfall is a major tourist attraction here.
As part of the new spiritual tourism packages, the division introduced five air-conditioned (AC) safari vehicles on Wednesday. The new high-end vehicles comprise three 4-seater and two 12-seater ones which will run within and outside the sanctuary. These are in addition to the existing fleet of nine non-AC vehicles that are operating in the sanctuary.
Divisional forest officer (DFO) Anshu Pragyan Das said the objective of the new packages is to retain the tourists visiting Debrigarh for a longer period and also allow them to explore places of historical importance in the region through guided tours.
"This will not only help increase tourist footfall from other states but will also give a major boost to local tourism. With the launch of the new safari vehicles, the climate will no more be a barrier for tourists wanting to visit here during the summers and monsoon," the DFO added.
Under the new packages, tourists coming to Debrigarh can also visit the local handloom markets besides travelling to Nrusinghnath and Kedarnath temples. Besides, tourists can also use the safari vehicles to visit Samaleswari temple and Sambalpur Zoo. The packages are priced between Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000 and the bookings are already open online.
At least 50 per cent tourists visiting Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary every year are from other states. While the majority of the visitors are from Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, at least five per cent are foreign tourists.